There was great excitement at the Claregalway Hotel last week when 155 children from five Irish language primary schools in Gaeltacht areas around Galway City came together for the launch of a new book of poetry.
The ‘Féile Filíochta’ book was launched by acclaimed Irish language poet Louis De Paor to mark World Poetry Day.
Each of the children present at the Claregalway Hotel contributed a poem to the book after completing a series of workshops ‘as Gaeilge’ with poets Máire Holmes and Seán O Coistealbha before Christmas.
Two children from each class were nominated to read their own poems from the stage in the Waterdale Suite before a teacher from each school was presented with a commemorative trophy by Louis de Paor.
This is the second edition of the book, following a hugely successful launch at Wildlands in Maigh Cuilinn, featuring children from fourth class in the same five schools, in March of last year. The launch of the second edition of ‘Féile Filíochta’ took place last week as Friday, March 21, was World Poetry Day.
The workshops and the book, designed by Ines Quintanilha McGee of An Bean Sí publishing, were initiated by the four Irish Language Planning Officers in the Gaeltacht areas in and around Galway City, to increase co-ordination between schools operating in the Irish language and to spark a love of poetry among the primary school students.
The event, entirely conducted ‘as Gaeilge’, was also seen as a great opportunity for the students to have fun while using their native language. As with the first edition of the book, the pictures on each of the pages are based on the subject of each poem.
The schools involved were Scoil Baile Nua, Maigh Cuillinn; Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh, Cnoc na Cathrach; Seoil Seamus Naofa, Bearna; Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Breandán, Eanach Dhúin; and Scoil Bhríde, Menlo.
“It was absolutely fantastic to see the children from the five schools mingling with each other and conversing ‘as Gaeilge’ throughout the morning at the Claregalway Hotel,” said Ciaran Tierney, Irish Language Planning Officer for Gaeltacht an Eachréidh, which includes Annaghdown, Carnmore, and Claregalway.
“The two poets loved working with the children in the five schools before Christmas and they were really impressed by the standard of their written and spoken Irish, but they also gave them the important task of writing their own poems before a strict deadline,” he added.
“Events like this help to ‘normalize’ the Irish language among youngsters attending Gaelscoileanna – they see the benefits of enjoying activities through the medium of Irish and love to have guests such as Máire and Seán conversing with them in the classroom in our native language.”
Two pupils from each class were nominated to read out their own poems on stage before their teachers were presented with beautiful trophies by Louis De Paor to commemorate the occasion.
Afterwards the host for the day, Barbara McDonagh, broke the large group of students into two, before they enjoyed 30 minute sean nós dancing and singing workshops in Irish with Alanagh Ni Ghriofa and Inis Oirr native Macdara O Conaola, who travelled up from Co. Clare for the book launch.
“Claregalway is a place where the Irish language has experienced a decline over the past few decades, so it was brilliant to hear children conversing so fluently in our native language in the Claregalway Hotel throughout the morning,” said Ciaran.
“They showed great imagination in choosing a wide variety of themes for their poems. While our Irish language primary schools are doing great work to boost our native language in places such as Annaghdown, this event was also a reminder that it’s also very important to have fun!”
Each of the pupils was presented with a copy of the ‘Féile Filiochta’ book before boarding the bus home after an enjoyable morning of poetry and ‘craic’ in Claregalway.
Family members, including those living overseas, can access a free version of the book online. People can download the book at no cost at this link: https://online.fliphtml5.com/qvfje/wvev/
This project was made possible thanks to the support of Údaras na Gaeltachta and Ealaín na Gaeltachta.
